LeBron, Lakers eye Grizzlies after OT thriller
The Memphis Grizzlies should fear the Lakers.
Los Angeles defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 108-102, in an overtime thriller Tuesday night, securing the seventh seed in the Western Conference. LeBron James led the way with a double-double, scoring 30 points with ten rebounds and six assists.
James received help from Anthony Davis and Dennis Schröder, who would have been the game’s unsung hero if it wasn’t for a late-game blunder by Davis.
Schröder drilled a corner three on a pass from James, who attacked the basket, putting the Lakers ahead by three, 98-95, in the fourth quarter. However, Davis would foul Minnesota guard Mike Conley on a corner three as he was fading out of bounds, and Conley hit all three free throws, sending the game into overtime.
In front of a packed Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles outscored Minnesota 10-4 in overtime, as the Timberwolves offense stalled down the stretch. Now, Memphis awaits the Lakers, who finished the regular season with a 43-39 record, in round 1 of the NBA playoffs.
The Grizzlies have been one of the more consistent teams in the West this season, led by 2X All-Star Ja Morant, who propelled the team to a 51-31 record despite missing eight games due to suspension.
The NBA suspended Morant after he brandished a handgun at a Colorado nightclub in early March, but the team managed to stay afloat in his absence.
When asked which team he looks forward to playing the most in the playoffs, Memphis forward Dillon Brooks said James and the Lakers.
"I wouldn't mind playing LeBron [James] in a 7-game series,” Brooks said. “The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs. Knock him out right away. It'll test us good. They got good pieces, [and] good players. That'll be a good 1st-round matchup for us."
Brooks got his wish.
Sunday’s game against Memphis at the FedEx Forum will be the Lakers’ first playoff game since 2021 when the Suns eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs.
Los Angeles followed up their early playoff exit with a disappointing 2021-22 campaign, as injuries to James and Davis derailed the franchise's championship aspirations.
Meanwhile, Memphis has had more recent playoff success than the Lakers. The Grizzlies defeated the Timberwolves in the playoffs last year before ultimately losing to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in the second round.
Still, the Grizzlies will discover how difficult it is to beat a LeBron-led team in the playoffs four times in seven games.
The last time James and Davis were healthy for an entire playoff run in 2020, it culminated with a championship. The Lakers were up 2-1 on the Phoenix Suns the following year in the playoffs after winning the NBA title the previous season before Davis’ injury changed the complexion of that series.
Davis failed to return in Game 4 after halftime, missed Game 5, and only lasted 5:25 into Game 6, paving the way for the Suns to rout the Lakers, 113-100, in a lopsided closeout game.
There’s no denying Morant’s talent, but the embroiled superstar point guard must prove he’s capable of leading his team to the next level in the playoffs.
The only problem: he has to go through James to do that.
